A trip to Magic Mountain for San Diego State head coach Ted Tollner wouldn’t have had more ups and downs than the wacky 1996 football season he and his team endured.

With 16 starters returning from an 8-4 team the year before, it was supposed to be a banner year for the Aztecs. But preseason suspensions, injuries and a horrendous weekend in Las Vegas all translated to an 8-3 finish and another bowlless year for Montezuma Mesa.

Despite winning a total of 16 games over two seasons, SDSU had to face the reality of not being invited to a bowl for the second straight season.

“In the big picture, we went into the season wanting to be in the championship game and win it, and we didn’t do that,” Tollner said. “We didn’t achieve our major goal so it was a disappointment.”

Before the season started, SDSU was picked by many to finish first in the Western Athletic Conference’s Pacific Division. But three key players wide receiver Will Blackwell, cornerback Ricky Parker and running back George Jones were suspended for one game for NCAA rule violations.

It was not the way the Aztecs wanted to start.

With three of its best players on the sidelines to start the season, SDSU was like a Christmas tree that someone forgot to string ornaments on.

“A whole bunch of things went wrong this season,” Parker said. “First with the suspensions, then we had to reschedule games. It was like one thing after another and all we should have had to worry about was playing football and not that other stuff.”

That other stuff, as it turned out, would also include an extra three-game suspension to Jones, the WAC’s reigning offensive Player of the Year.

Offensive firepower

Despite the loss of Jones for the first four games, the Aztecs’ attack under offensive coordinator Tom Craft never seemed to miss a beat.

The reason was simple … quarterback Billy Blanton.

The senior from Costa Mesa, Calif., produced one of the best seasons in Aztec history by throwing for 3,221 yards, 29 touchdowns and only five interceptions.

He became only the second quarterback in SDSU history to throw for 3,000 yards in two straight seasons.

“Billy had as good a year as you can have at quarterback,” Tollner said. “His competitive toughness really rubbed off in some of those close games when he had to make plays.”

Tollner is clearly referring to Nov. 7, the high point of the Aztecs’ season. Not to mention Blanton’s career at SDSU.

SDSU was in a must-win situation to keep the season alive, and Blanton stepped up and produced when the game was on the line.

He was 13-for-14 in the second half, and his 11-yard touchdown scramble with 38 seconds left sealed SDSU’s 28-24 come-from-behind victory.

“The Wyoming game was definitely the highlight of the season,” Blanton said. “I felt great after that win. It was a game we had to have.”

It was a contest that also brought new stars to the forefront.

Especially junior wide receiver Leandrew Childs, who surprised everyone, including an ESPN national television audience, with not only his 11 catches for 152 yards but his amazing blocking ability despite his 5-foot-9, 165-pound frame.

“I was really excited about my blocking this season,” Childs said. “I didn’t expect to play as much as I did. And against Wyoming, I had a good game with some good blocks. Overall, we played really well offensively.”

The numbers prove it.

Blackwell 60 receptions, 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Hakim 36 receptions, 635 yards and five touchdowns despite missing the last three games of the season with a broken leg.

Childs 52 receptions, 745 yards and six touchdowns plus the aforementioned pancake blocks.

The numbers can also be attributed to the offensive line.

The holes the running backs and receivers ran through all season were provided by the Aztecs’ young offensive line that returns all five starters next season.

Tackles Ephraim Salaam and Kyle Turley were the bookends to a line that bounced back and played consistently all season after giving up 11 sacks to the University of California in the second game of the season.

And when it came to rushing, the Aztecs looked to one man Mr. Jones.

The preseason Heisman Trophy candidate played only 7 games and still rushed for 968 yards.

It wasn’t the season everyone envisioned, but Jones shined anyway.

In his absence, SDSU got a look at the future in the form of Torrey Pines native and true freshman Marty Graham who rushed for 295 yards on 61 carries.

Next year, watch out for junior Justin Watson, who averaged a robust 6.8 yards per carry. As the Aztecs’ lone big back, he should see a ton of carries next fall.

Defensive liability

Tollner said it best when asked about his defense this season.

“Are we where we want to be defensively?” Tollner asked. “The answer is no. Did we play well at times and did we play close to what we were capable of at times? Sometimes, yes and sometimes, no.”

Ironically, the “sometimes, yes” was against Wyoming and Air Force, two of the best offenses in the country.

And the “sometimes, no” was against UNLV and Oklahoma, two of the nation’s worst.

Against the undefeated Wyoming Cowboys the defense shined defensive end Adrian Ioja made play after play. Senior linebacker Craigus Thompson’s diving knock down of a Josh Wallwork pass in the final seconds in the end zone preserved the win.

Against Air Force, the Aztec defense made a stand and showed a national television audience it could stop the run by stuffing Beau Morgan and the nation’s No. 2 rushing attack.

The Falcons had averaged 338 yards a game rushing, but the much-maligned SDSU defense held them to only 237 yards.

“The defense made plays this season,” safety Julius McChristian said. “Everyone contributed. Cornerback James Heggins stepped in and played well when Parker got hurt. (Safety) Jason Moore made some plays, and (safety) Rico Curtis played great also.”

The players may be quick to hand out individual praise, but the truth is the Aztec defense as a whole did not play up to its potential.

They were trampled and run over for 351 yards rushing by Colorado State in a 27-18 loss. They were also dismantled by UNLV freshman quarterback Jon Denton for 502 yards in the back-breaking 44-42 loss in Las Vegas.

The truth is, anytime you score 42 points (against UNLV) and 37 points (against Cal) you shouldn’t lose football games.

Ask Tollner.

“Look at our defensive statistics,” he said. “we need to bring those numbers down.”

Isn’t that special?

One place the Aztecs won games was in the so-called “hidden yardage” category of special teams. They dominated when it came to special teams and the postseason awards prove it.

Punter Noel Prefontaine was selected first team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.

Place kicker Peter Holt came in second for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation’s best kicker.

And the coverage teams were relentless.

Led by senior Freddie Edwards, freshman Jonas Lewis and sophomore Tyrone Evans, the Aztecs simply dominated in every phase of special teams.

“All season we played as a whole and won the hidden yardage,” Evans said. “We tried to be better in all aspects of special teams, and I think we did that.

“It had a lot to do with attitudes this year, and I think it’s only going to be better next season.”

photos by Mitch Lacey